


Inevitable

by daisy_tyong (SammiCass)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Character Study, Choking mention, Death, Death as a character, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Grief/Mourning, Immortality, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Nonbinary Character, Not Really Character Death, Stillbirth, kinda?? mentioned, not sad dont worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28545909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SammiCass/pseuds/daisy_tyong
Summary: The day Chenle was born should’ve been the end.Instead he meets Death.Again.And again.And again.Some would call it fate, others would just say it’s inevitable.or,Chenle just can’t seem to die, and becomes friends with Death along the way.
Relationships: Park Jisung & Zhong Chen Le, Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21





	Inevitable

The day Chenle was born should've been the end.

 _Stillbirth,_ the doctors said. Born with fully developed organs, yet for some reason did not breathe. Death was there too. At the moment of his birth, watching as Chenle's mother cried over the loss of a child she'd grown to love yet hadn't got to know. It was hard, but what could Death do? This was the natural order of things.

Death was a lot of things—eternal, present, confusing, but Death wasn't unkind. They waited, letting the mother spend her first and final moment with her child before they had to leave. As Death moved closer, it was almost as if the child sensed that their time was up before it could even begin. A loud wail broke the silence permeating the room, throwing everyone back to the land of the living.

"S-somebody get the doctor!"

As the room bustled with chaos, Death stayed, watching as the child calmed itself down. His chest heaved, stealing back the air that was denied to him, as if breathing itself was an act of defiance. It wouldn't be the last either. The child, almost like he could sense Death, turned his head and gazed right at the spot in which they stood. Unblinking. Whether or not the child could actually see them didn't matter. All that Death knew was that this meeting wouldn't be their last.

  
  


The next time Death sees Chenle, he's seven years old.

Death glances around the room, taking in all the tinsel and paper snowflakes. _I guess it's almost time for winter break._ They weave themselves through the children running after each other, and those lying on the floor. Their eyes soon find him, sitting by himself in a corner surrounded by cookies. Hoarding them.

_Ah I see... choking perhaps?_

They lower themselves to the floor, watching Chenle decide the cookie that'll end his fate.

"Hmm... chocolate chip? Maybe—" Chenle trails off. "I can't decide. Which one would you pick," he asks, still staring at the cookies in front of him. _Is he talking to me?_ Death peers around the room, observing how everyone fails to notice the boy all alone in the corner.

" _Helloooo!_ Hey I'm talking to you- don't you know that's rude," Chenle pouts.

"Uh. I'm... sorry?" Death responds, flustered. It's not that often Death gets to talk to someone. Well, someone that's alive that is.

"It's ok. But back to what I was saying! What cookie would you eat," he asks staring directly at Death. Piercing them with his gaze, demanding their attention.

"Uhmm." Images flash through Death's mind.

_Peanut butter._

_Allergic reaction._

_Teacher distracted._

They watch his death, noting how the whole ordeal happens in under five minutes. They see the aftermath too. The grief surrounding Chenle's parents, the burden of losing their child a second time weighing heavy on their hearts. Watches as the teacher is fired for negligence, the price that must be paid.

Death sees the life Chenle could've had.

_It's such a shame._

The only thing Death can do is be there for him at the end. That's all they _can_ do.

"Peanut butter. If I was you, I'd choose peanut butter."

Death watches as a smile slowly grows on Chenle's face. He grabs it, moving to take a bite before stopping. Instead he turns to Death, "Actually... you can have it. I think you'd like it way more than I would."

So Death sits there, eating the cookie meant to kill the boy while the world moves on around them.

_Chenle 2 - Death 0_

  
  


Chenle is fifteen when he experiences Death for the first time.

It's numbing.

It's the first time he's lost someone.

The voices of his family surround him, blanketing him in their grief. It's heavy— _much too heavy._ Every breath he takes feels like he's gasping for air. "I'm gonna go get some water," Chenle mumbles in passing, desperate to escape.

His steps are light as he moves past the kitchen and onto the balcony. The night sky welcomes him, gently casting beams in his direction. _It's beautiful,_ Chenle thinks to himself. _She would've loved to see this._

Chenle senses Death before he sees them; The hairs along the back of his neck suddenly rise, his fingers tingle with the bitter chill, and this deep sensation grows within his gut. Some call it intuition, his grandmother called it a warning. _A sixth sense._

Chenle isn't sure what to call it.

"Does it always hurt this much?” he asks. Chenle tears his gaze away to stare at the face of someone he never should've known, "Will it always hurt this bad?"

Death studies his face, their brows furrowing even more than usual. "Sometimes. Sometimes it'll hurt so bad it feels like you're drowning," They whisper. Death moves slowly, unhurried, as they make their way to Chenle. They wait a moment, taking in the night alongside Chenle before continuing. "But it gets easier."

Death hesitates, arm reaching out before finding its place on Chenle's shoulder, comforting him. Well, trying to at least. "It'll be okay."

Chenle leans in, wrapping his arms around them before asking, "Can I at least say goodbye?"

Death might be a lot of things, but Death wasn't cruel.

They must've broken some kind of rule that night allowing that final moment, but Death couldn't care less.

Nothing felt as warm as seeing Chenle smile.

  
  
  
  


They meet again.

And again.

And again— in Shanghai, Seoul, London, and Chicago.

The length between each meeting decreases too, as if the universe keeps pushing them together. Eight years turns to five, five years becomes two, then six months, then one month, then—

Some would call it fate.

Others would just say it's inevitable. 

  
  
  


"So where do you go after... y'know?" Chenle trails off. "Or can you not tell me?"

Death glances away from the ducks bathing in the small fountain outside Chenle's workplace, sending him a small smile. "You know I can't answer that."

"But there _is_ something," he pushes.

"I can't answer that either."

Chenle groans, frustration written all over his face. "You say that every time! Can't you... I don't know- spice it up a bit? Hit me with a ' _maybe'?_ Or ' _it's forbidden'._ Surprise me!"

It's not the first time he's asked Death this.

“Chenle, you already know what I'm going to say. You know I—"

"I know. I just...I'm curious I guess. But if you can't tell me that's fine, I don't wanna get you in trouble... Can you get into trouble? How does that work? Like are you your own boss or is there someone above you?" Chenle rambles, his voice increasing in speed at each revelation. His mind moves faster than his mouth can process, stumbling over himself in the process.

_Cute._

"It's not that I don't want to, I just can't. I don't know what happens after."

Their answer seems to shock him, lips parting slightly in surprise while his voice, which was so active before, is at a loss for words.

"But... how? I mean, you're _Death._ Wouldn't you like, know?"

"I'm more a state of transition— the moment between the before and after. There's no purpose for me to know, I can't die. I'm _Death._ Kinda defeats the whole purpose." They trail off, eyes finding the ducks once more. It's easier that way.

"So this is all you've ever known? No before... no after?" His voice is gentle, falling onto their ears like a wave.

"Mhm. All I can remember is this." They turn their head to see a slight frown growing on Chenle's face, brows furrowing and lip bitten red.

"Sounds awfully lonely," he whispers.

"It was."

"Well that settles it," Chenle says, sitting up from his position on the grass.

"Settles what?"

"I'm not going to die." He says, his smile beaming with confidence and self-assurance.

"Oh really? And why's that?"

"Well, someone's has to keep you company." He bumps his shoulder against them, letting all his weight ease into their side. A physical reminder of his presence in their life. It was an oath, a promise—a _vow._ One that would not be broken.

"Really?" Death breathes.

"Really." Chenle reassures, his hand finding it way into theirs. "And since I'm gonna be around forever, you should probably tell me your name. I mean, it's only fair," he teases.

"I have many names."

"Ugh, then just choose one! Or... pick a name that you like, doesn't have to be yours."

"I can just- do that?"

"I don't see why not?" He shrugs. "But make sure it's good, you _are_ gonna be stuck with it forever."

_Forever, huh._

Death gives Chenle's hand a squeeze before looking back up, a smile encompassing their entire face. "Jisung. Call me Jisung."

Mirroring their smile, Chenle squeezes back. "Nice to finally meet you, Jisung."

_Forever doesn't sound all that bad._

**Author's Note:**

> this fic come out of my tweet about chenle becoming immortal bc he refuses to die, and sort of spiraled into this whole character study. I'd say this is more of an acceptance of death and overcoming the fear surrounding it (but who knows tbh). I debated for a long time if I wanted Death to be Jisung or Kun (I even made y'all vote on it) but I'm glad how this turned out!
> 
> also it's up to you how you want to interpret their relationship! thanks for reading and feel free to follow me on twt @ daisy_tyong :)


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